How to identify a member of your local Caxton publication

Should a member of the public be addressed by anyone claiming to be a Caxton journalist, they are wholeheartedly encouraged to ask that person to produce positive identification.

November 3, 2020

Caxton West Rand 1 minute read

Randfontein Herald journalist, Michelle Roodt. Photo: Michelle Swart.

There is a constant clamouring for accurate, reliable and trustworthy information sourced from the scene or those with a first-hand account. Your Caxton Local Media publications have, and always will, strive to deliver an unbiased, objective report of the most important issues facing your community.

Entrusted to gather that information are our committed and resolute journalists who painstakingly research and fact-check their sources to ensure that everything disseminated via our publications is of the highest standard. It is equally important that the journalists themselves are identifiable as the ones who have had the authority to gather said information granted to them by the relevant authorities.

Should a member of the public be addressed by anyone claiming to be a Caxton journalist, they are wholeheartedly encouraged to ask that person to produce positive identification. All journalists carry a photo identification South African Press Card issued by Print and Digital Media South Africa (PDMSA). That press card is backed by the Press Council of South Africa and WAN-IFRA, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers.

Should anyone claiming to be a journalist fail to produce such identification, then they are not supported by the Press Council of South Africa. They are, therefore, not subject to the professional and ethical guidelines governed by the Press Council, nor subject to scrutiny from the Press Council Ombudsman. The press card shows the journalist’s name, the publication, expiry date, signature of the holder, and card number which can be verified with the Press Council.

Should the public suspect that someone may be masquerading as a journalist or falsely representing this publication, they are asked to call our offices immediately. A strong relationship with our community, built on trust and reliability, is of the utmost important to us and we pride ourselves on the vital role we play in being your trusted news source.